LG~GBH~Purple Martins

[jfenton]

I hate summer haze...is it fall yet?

Foggy early and this GBH came out of the fog right in front of me and swung to the left, just catching the sun coming up from behind the sand dunes....

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Next I captured a bird that is extremely rare in my neck of the woods...a laughing gull...

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After that, things quieted down at the coast, so I went inland a bit and tried the purple marting thing again....I got lucky and shot another one that was banded last year just after hatching. The martins were tougher than usual today as there was no breeze to direct their glides and they were coming from every witch way. These were all shot at ISO 500 with no NR and I still couldn't get the shutter speed up as high as I would have likes (you can see it in the wing tips). Even though these were shot at f8 with no TC, at close range (35" or so), there still isn't enough DOF with the X to get the entire creature in focus.

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[drueter]

WOW, Jim! Awesome shots! I still can't comprehend how you manage to get those Martin shots. The ones I've tried never get within about 20-30 feet of me and are darting low over the water with rapid direction changes constantly. I guess I'm just getting too old and slow with my tracking.

 

[jfenton]

Don

The trick is...shoot them when they are nowhere near the water

These guys are feeding over a salt hay field.

 

[drueter]

So that's the trick!! Well, guess I'll just have to figure our another angle or give up then -- too much water around here in ponds, marshes, etc. The only places I ever see them are over or around water -- flying low and darting around. Or, I can just keep enjoying your shots!

 

[eng45ine]

Jim...I'd love to see the look on your face when you chimp after taking some of your images. I would imagine that there is a smile from ear to ear. Great images, Jim....as always!!!

 

[jfenton]

Engine...

When I'm shooting these guys, there's no time to chimp....

I have to wait till I get home to see how I made out

 

[eng45ine]

That being said...I can imagine how many times you have yelled out while looking at your monitor, "Hurry, come here and take a look at this one".

You are excellant with your birds.....

 

[DiverX]

Yahoo! Jim, those purple martin shots are sweet! Never see them around here.

Just excelllent stuff!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[jfenton]

George...

You guys must have purple martins down there somewhere?

I think that this laughing Gull was misplaced from your neck of the woods?

 

[Kevin Scott]

Nice shots of the purple martins, Jim! Like the GBH too. The light is very nice.

 

[PhotoDawg]

I really enjoyed these!! Nice goin' Jim!!

 

[DiverX]

Re: George...

You guys must have purple martins down there somewhere?
I think that this laughing Gull was misplaced from your neck of the woods?

Yeah we have them but I can never find any! One day I will, I think! :roll:

That gull is around here in decent numbers. I've seen them on the beaches along the south shore of LI.

 

[Flew]

Excellent shots Jim. I like every one of them, but am most impressed by the purple martins. I know how hard these things are to catch.

Well done. :wink:

 

[CraigH.]

spectacular shots, Jim!

 

[Nikam]

Nice crisp shots, Jim.

I really like the lighting on the GBH. shot. Those purple martin shots are really neat. I especially like the feeding shot.

 

[Retief]

So, Jim, this is the reason for me NOT to get a D2X :?: :?: :?: :?:

These are grand, I am really trying to get better at the "little birdies" in flight, it is a whole 'nother ball game from birds as big as the raptors and herons. So far my technique has yielded me wing-tips and feet , oh, yeah, and the "backgrouund only" shot, can't forget those now can we.....

Thanks, I think my fav of this bunch is "The Moutfull"....

 

[nburwell]

Simply beautiful pictures. Amazing!

 

[Pa]

They are all wonderful.

Did you really mean to say 35 inches (35") as the distance to the Martins?

 

[jfenton]

Hi Pa

Ooops...should have been 35'